S309 Reed's Weapons
by ZenosParadox
Summary: RS. Sato overhears Reed and T'Pol and makes some discoveries on her own. Coda for North Star, Episode 9, Season 3.


Title: S309 Reed's WeaponAuthor: ZenosParadox Rating: PG  
  
Summary: RS. Sato overhears Reed and T'Pol and makes some discoveries on her own. Coda for North Star, Episode 9, Season 3.  
  
Notes: Written November 13, 2003. Disclaimer: The Enterprise characters belong to Paramount. This fiction was written solely for personal enjoyment.  
  
REED'S WEAPON  
  
Hoshi Sato was walking toward T'Pol's cabin to bring her the plomeek soup that Chef had made for her. Although uncertain of the exact injuries because the debriefing for the senior officers had yet to occur, Sato knew that Phlox had confined the Vulcan to her quarters while she recovered from the shootout on the planet below. The Ensign's hand stopped in midair when she heard the voices inside T'Pol's quarters.   
  
Malcolm Reed? No one else had his distinctive accent aboard the ship. Sato stood for a moment as her sensitive hearing caught the gist of the conversation inside.  
  
-----  
  
"...this is the second time and I don't want it to become a habit."  
  
"Lieutenant, Vulcans have stronger dispositions than humans. I assure you that your actions won't leave any lasting injury."  
  
"But it seems so inappropriate, I mean, you are my commanding officer."  
  
"Rank has little to do with what passed between us, Lieutenant."  
  
"Still, I don't like the way it hurts you, T'Pol. I don't want you to think of me as the man who left you scarred."  
  
"You have to agree that both encounters were inevitable. I have no regrets; neither should you."  
  
-----  
  
Sato stepped back as she heard the last statement and blinked her eyes quickly. Lieutenant Reed and Sub-commander T'Pol? No, she must have heard wrong. If one of her boys were involved with T'Pol it would have to be Trip, not her Malcolm. Hoshi's head jerked up. Since when had she been thinking of the Lieutenant as HER Malcolm?   
  
Her attention went back to the cabin when she heard footsteps moving toward the door. Sato made a hasty retreat back to the galley.   
  
-----  
  
"I'm glad you understood my actions, Sub-commander. It was the best way to eliminate the hostage situation." Reed stepped into the corridor, but looked down when his boot encountered a slippery spot.   
  
"Is there something wrong, Lieutenant?" asked T'Pol as she noticed Reed's inspection of the floor.  
  
"There's a wet spot here." Reed looked to the ceiling. "I'll mention it to Trip so he can check for leaks."  
  
"There is no need. The Commander will be here shortly. I will tell him myself."  
  
"Good night then, Sub-commander."  
  
After a few minutes, Sato quickly delivered the soup to T'Pol, but left immediately to find a quiet, solitary place to think.  
  
-----  
  
Hoshi sat on the floor of the observation deck and stared at the stars. It wasn't logical. There had to be a rational explanation for the conversation she had heard. She knew Malcolm found T'Pol attractive, but there wasn't the spark between them that suggested more. The Vulcan never flustered the Lieutenant; their exchanges were always so professional. No, if Malcolm lost his cool around a woman, he lost it with Hoshi Sato, not T'Pol.  
  
This shouldn't matter to her, she told herself. Hoshi liked keeping people at a distance, but that was one of the things that drew her to Malcolm. He seemed to understand her motivations. She didn't have to explain herself. She leaned against the wall and put her head on her chin. She was in a corner among the shadows, so when Corporeal Hawkins and Major Hayes walked in, they were unaware of her.   
  
"It won't do to underestimate Reed."  
  
"I still can't believe he shot the hostage! Can you imagine the look on the guy's face when the Lieutenant shot the Vulcan?"  
  
"I couldn't keep from laughing at the way Mabry described the smirk on his face before Reed stunned the gunman. I bet he could be a real S.O.B. if the mood strikes him."  
  
"You know, I wonder if he regrets that it wasn't the Captain who was being held hostage? I swear, I don't know how Reed has served this long on the Enterprise without shooting Archer."  
  
"Reed has to have a lot of patience. I get the impression Archer feels he can take some risks because he knows his crew will be there to bail him out."  
  
"That's a lot of faith to put into each other."  
  
"That's one thing this crew has in abundance. Come on, let's see if the poker game is over..."  
  
-----  
  
Reed was in the Armory doing a final inspection of the phase pistols when Sato found him. She walked quietly behind him and said in a murmur, "You don't plan to use your weapon on me, do you, Lieutenant?"  
  
Reed turned in surprise and indeed had the phase pistol in his hand. Sato put her hands up in surrender. Reed shook his head, but he had a light smile on his face as he said, "At ease, Ensign. I wouldn't shoot you."  
  
"Not even in a hostage situation?" asked Sato as she crossed her arms over her chest. She saw Reed close his eyes.  
  
"You heard?"  
  
"Rumor has it that you stunned T'Pol. I heard Hayes and Hawkins talking." Sato approached Reed and helped him re-assemble the remaining phase pistols on the table as she said this.  
  
"The rumor would be accurate. I couldn't get a clear shot of the man's chest with the way he was holding T'Pol, so to get her out of the way--"  
  
"You shot her," ended Sato. She was silent for a moment and said, "And it wasn't the first time?"  
  
Reed looked at her sharply, then shrugged slowly. Whenever he was left in command, he knew he could count on Hoshi as one would a First Officer. Why not indulge in that trust now? "Do you remember when T'Pol contracted that virus, but escaped decon? I had to stun her then, too."  
  
"I didn't know that." The next words slipped out of her before she could think. "Making it a habit, Lieutenant?"  
  
Reed turned from the weapons locker where he had stored the phase pistols. "I hope not, but some things come in threes, so I'm worried there's one more encounter in store for me and T'Pol."  
  
"As long as it's just a phase pistol you're whipping out, it should be okay."  
  
There was something suggestive about the way Hoshi had made her remark, so Malcolm asked, "Why do you say that?"  
  
"The stun setting. I'm sure T'Pol can recover from being stunned if it happens again." Hoshi looked away from Malcolm and asked, "T'Pol is important to you?"  
  
"She's our Science Officer. Of course she's important."  
  
"No, I meant on a personal level."  
  
Malcolm looked at Hoshi. She wasn't looking at him at all and her body was just a bit tense. He felt as if his next words were very important to her, but didn't understand why. He finally said, "On a personal level, I hope T'Pol sees me as someone she can count on, but I'm not foolish enough to think she sees me as a friend."  
  
"And what do you think of me?" Hoshi dared to ask.  
  
Hoshi felt the light touch of his hand on her shoulder. She heard his voice just behind her ear as he murmured, "Am I a fool to believe that we're friends, Hoshi?"  
  
Hoshi turned and smiled. "That would make two of us, then. Walk me to my quarters?"  
  
"I'd like that. I've been meaning to tell you that you did a good job today, by the way..."  
  
Hoshi didn't realize she was glowing at his praises because she was too busy drowning in the look in his eyes. The gleam of admiration he carried for her pierced her heart. His intense gaze was a formidable weapon indeed.   
  
*****  
  
Author Note:  
  
Recovering from massive computer breakdown. I thought I'd lost everything. Thanks for reading. No reviews are necessary. 


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